He will be hailed by supporters for preventing an outright victory by the Freedom Party, which was leading in opinion polls just months ago.

But his critics say he has only done so by adopting much of the nationalists’ rhetoric and policies, and there will be concern in European Union capitals that a hard-Right bloc is now emerging in central Europe, with Mr Kurz lining up alongside Viktor Orban in Hungary and the Law and Justice Party government in Poland.

“This result is a huge success. It shows there is a desire for change,” Mr Strache said as the results came in. In fact, many in his Freedom Party may see the result as something of a disappointment.

The party was leading in the polls until Mr Kurz’s dramatic rise, but last night it was facing the possibility of being beaten into third place.

The ÖVP was clearly out in front, with 31.7 per cent, followed by the Social Democrats on 26.9 per cent and the Freedom Party on 26 per cent.

Supporters of the leader of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) Heinz-Christian Strache (not pictured) react as they watch a projection of the Austrian Federal Elections in ViennaCredit:
EPA

That opened up the possibility of protracted coalition negotiations, with all three parties involved.

The Social Democrats have indicated they would be open to coalition talks if they came second — and could yet snatch victory from Mr Kurz’s hands, after saying they were prepared to consider a coalition with the Freedom Party.

But it is Mr Kurz who will get the first chance to form a government as winner, and much of what he has said has suggested the Freedom Party could be his preferred partner.

He has openly touted policies formulated by the two parties working together at a regional level as national solutions, and it was not lost on observers that he told his supporters last night: “We want to work with all political forces in the country.”

Mr Strache made his view of a probable coalition clear when he told supporters: “Sixty per cent of the country has voted for an FPÖ agenda”.

“There has been a huge shift to the Right. We have seen it across Europe. We are not pleased with the result, but we can live with it,” Mr Kern, the outgoing chancellor, said.

“In the years ahead we will defend an open, modern, democratic and diverse Austria.” The result was a personal disaster for Mr Kern, who was parachuted into politics from business last year in a last ditch attempt to turn his party’s fortunes round.

But he insisted on Sunday night he was not going anywhere. “I said I would stay in politics for ten years. One year is gone,” he said.